Strength and Sunshine

Where Gluten-Free & Allergy-Friendly Food Is Healthy & Delicious

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Celiac Disease & Food Allergies
    • Freedom Feature: Submit Your Story
  • Shop
  • Media & Press
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

Homemade Copycat Gluten-Free Vegan Hostess Twinkies (Allergy-Free)

February 4, 2019 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 25 Comments

A healthier and allergy-free recipe for the iconic cream-filled golden snack cake. Homemade Copycat Gluten-Free Vegan Hostess Twinkies! These sweet little sponge cakes are easy to make, kid-friendly, sugar-free, and won’t last forever! They’re a great dessert or nostalgic lunchbox treat!

homemade-hostess-twinkies-stacked-cut-open-pin

No more crying now! If we can all have Twinkies and feel good about eating them, I think we’ll all be able to have a few more moments of joy throughout our weeks! What do you think? I thought it was time for some healthier gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free Hostess Twinkies! Homemade copycat versions of our favorite snack cakes are not only fun to make, but delicious and essential for “sweet treat inclusivity”!

homemade-twinkies-lined-up-on-wire-rack

MY LATEST VIDEOS

How do you make homemade Twinkies?

That’s the big question, isn’t it? To make your own homemade, iconically shaped, cream-filled golden sponge cakes, you’ll need a special pan! Not just any pan, but a Twinkie pan! I bought this Wilton brand pan, but Hostess actually makes their own Twinkie pan with a pastry bag and “secret” recipe booklet. The Wilton one is cheaper (but bigger!) and you don’t need all the bells and whistles of the name brand. Go generic! The special rounded-mini loaf molds will bake the cakes perfectly and from there, you just need to fill the cakes using a decorating/frosting gun.

filling-homemade-hostess-twinkies

Tips for baking and filling homemade Twinkies:

  1. Do NOT over-fill your Twinkie molds. They will overflow and you will end up with a sad Twinkie mess to clean up (*not* speaking from experience). You only need to fill the molds about 3/4 full with the cake batter.
  2. If you want to get rid of the rounded bottom of the cake so it’s flat, you can use a knife to shave off the rounded bottom a bit before you fill the cakes with cream.
  3. If you want super yellow cakes you can add more turmeric. I use turmeric since these homemade Twinkies are all natural. You don’t taste the turmeric. Of course, you’re free to use yellow food coloring too.
  4. Don’t over-fill your Twinkies with cream. Authentic Twinkies have 3 holes in the bottom where the filling is injected. You’ll be doing the same, just don’t get “trigger” happy and over-fill, making your Twinkies explode. Fill the Twinkies slowly and you can always add more cream!
  5. With that in mind, don’t poke a hole all the way through your Twinkie when filling with they pastry gun! Just go about halfway up.

two-homemade-twinkies-on-white-plate

Do Twinkies last forever?

While real Hostess Twinkies may have an indefinite shelf-life, these homemade Twinkies will not last forever. Sorry. For best results, I suggest storing the homemade Twinkies in the fridge. Anytime I make a recipe that calls for homemade vegan buttercream filling, I feel better storing them in the fridge and remaining chilled. They’ll last much longer than out at room temperature.

Other Twinkie fun facts:

  1. Hostess Twinkies were invented in the 1930s. Hostess went bankrupt in 2012 and Twinkies ceased to be produced. But, because this is America, Twinkies came back a year later in 2013 and now they’re thriving.
  2. Twinkies were initially banana flavored, but bananas were rationed during WWII, so vanilla was used instead. Over the years there have been various fruity flavored Twinkies, like strawberry, and in 2005, the banana flavor was reintroduced and become popular enough that by 2007 it was back in production.
  3. When Twinkies came back in 2013, the size of the Twinkie was reduced and subsequently contained fewer calories. They went from 150 calories to 135 calories per cake.
  4. Hostess claims that Twinkies do not last forever. The original Twinkie (before 2013) lasted 26 days. The new, smaller Twinkies lasts 45 days. Take that as you will.

pyramid-stack-gluten-free-vegan-homemade-twinkies

Are Twinkies a dessert or a snack?

With any “snack cake“, it all depends on personal preference. Considering Twinkies are such an iconic lunchbox staple, thinking of them as a sweet snack is fitting, but I guess you can classify them as a lunchtime dessert? If you think about it long enough it just gets confusing and you start questioning your values. The best thing to do is not think about it too much and just enjoy that first soft, creaming, sweet snack cake bite! These allergy-free, gluten-free, vegan homemade Twinkies are a 100% healthier option than the real Hostess Twinkie so that means you can feel good about grabbing one for your own afternoon pick-me-up and putting one in your kid’s lunchbox! Win, win!

Homemade Copycat Gluten-Free Vegan Hostess Twinkies

hand-grab-homemade-twinkie-on-napkin

Homemade Copycat Gluten-Free Vegan Hostess Twinkies (Allergy-Free)
 
Save Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
15 mins
Total time
25 mins
 
A healthier and allergy-free recipe for the iconic cream-filled golden snack cake. Homemade Copycat Gluten-Free Vegan Hostess Twinkies! These sweet little sponge cakes are easy to make, kid-friendly, sugar-free, and won't last forever! They're a great dessert or nostalgic lunchbox treat!
Author: Rebecca Pytell
Recipe type: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • Yellow Cake:
  • 2 Cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
  • ¾ Cup Granulated Erythritol (or preferred granulated sweetener)
  • 1 Prepared Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacement
  • 1¼ Tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ Tsp Turmeric
  • ¾ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
  • 1 TB Neutral Oil
  • 1 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
  • Cream Filling:
  • 1¼ Cup Powdered Erythritol (or preferred powdered sweetener)
  • 1 Stick Vegan/Soy-Free Butter (I use MELT)
  • 1 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry cake ingredients (up to the non-dairy milk) and whisk together.
  3. Now add in the liquid ingredients and mix well to combine and form a smooth cake batter.
  4. Grease a 12-cavity Twinkie pan and fill each mold ¾ full with your cake batter.
  5. Bake the cakes in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool in the Twinkie pan for 5 minutes before removing and transferring the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. To prepare the cream filling, mix together the powdered sweetener, softened butter stick, and vanilla.
  7. Fill a pastry gun with the cream filling and use the long filling tip to fill the flat bottoms of the cooled Twinkies in three, spaced out, spot.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1
3.5.3208

hand-grabbing-homemade-twinkie-on-wire-rack

And that, my celiac and food allergic friends, is how you make free-from homemade Twinkies! I think the real reason these homemade Twinkies won’t last long is that fact that they are delicious! Bring on the nostalgia! While you’re at it, why not bake up more Hostess copycats? The classic chocolate Hostess cupcake has always been a favorite of mine and bonus, they don’t require a special pan!

So tell me:

+ What was your favorite Hostess treat?

———————————————-

Stay connected:
Facebook: Strength and Sunshine
Twitter: @RebeccaGF666
Instagram: rebeccagf666
Pinterest: RebeccaGF666
Bloglovin’: Strength and Sunshine

You Might Also Like

Filed Under: Dessert Tagged With: Allergy-Free, Baked Goods, Baking, Cake, Copycat, Cream, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Egg-Free, Food, Gluten-Free, Homemade, Hostess, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Recipe, Sesame-Free, Snack, Snack Cake, Soy-Free, Sugar-Free, Twinkies, Vegan, Vegetarian, Yellow Cake

« Pickled Beetroot Hummus (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Allergy-Free)
Easy One-Pot Vegan Gluten-Free Louisiana Red Beans & Rice (Allergy-Free) »

Comments

  1. Toni says

    February 7, 2019 at 8:51 pm

    I would love to give it a try!! Perfect for me and my kids!

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 8, 2019 at 7:43 am

      Bring on some nostalgia!

      Reply
  2. Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says

    February 6, 2019 at 7:39 am

    So clever! I am definitely keen to try this soon – how fabulous this is a gluten free option 🙂

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 6, 2019 at 7:42 am

      Have you ever had a Twinkie?

      Reply
      • Alexandra says

        February 6, 2019 at 7:51 am

        Never, but I have heard so many good things about them! And I love the sound of them 🙂

        Reply
  3. Linda says

    February 5, 2019 at 7:21 pm

    This is a fun recipe to try! I love twinkies and can’t wait to share these over tea.

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 6, 2019 at 7:42 am

      Haha, I think you’re the only person who eats Twinkies with tea!

      Reply
  4. Helen says

    February 5, 2019 at 4:39 pm

    Yum! You’re so creative! These look awesome.

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 5, 2019 at 5:42 pm

      Thank you, Helen!

      Reply
  5. La Shell Reid Hoilett says

    February 5, 2019 at 3:39 pm

    I love love love twinkies! Can’t wait to try these out!

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 5, 2019 at 4:32 pm

      They sure bring out the smiles!

      Reply
  6. ivana says

    February 5, 2019 at 9:55 am

    This looks so yummy and easy to make .. Thanks for sharing the recipe xo

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 5, 2019 at 1:02 pm

      I’m glad you think so!

      Reply
  7. Indya | The Small Adventurer says

    February 5, 2019 at 1:44 am

    As an Australian, Twinkies are not the staple treat over here that they seem to be elsewhere, and as someone who recently had to cut out gluten, I assumed I’d never be able to try one – but now I can! Definitely bookmarking these to make in the future. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 5, 2019 at 7:32 am

      I bet, go order a Twinkie pan first!

      Reply
  8. Lori Geurin says

    February 4, 2019 at 7:06 pm

    Woah – Gluten-free Twinkies with turmeric?! I would so eat these! Thank you for the healthier recipe. I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 5, 2019 at 7:32 am

      Turmeric is just for color.

      Reply
  9. Tessa Christianson says

    February 4, 2019 at 5:38 pm

    Oh. my. goodness!! I was actually talking about twinkies the other day with my sister as we reminisced about the snacks we will *never* eat again. I guess we were dead wrong because I am with her right now AND we have all the ingredients on hand to make these! Thank you thank you!

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 4, 2019 at 5:43 pm

      Whoop! A life without Twinkies would be too sad…we all need our Twinkies!

      Reply
  10. Sreya Gupta says

    February 4, 2019 at 3:54 pm

    Wow! It seems yummy. I must try this out soon. Pinning it.

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 4, 2019 at 4:21 pm

      I hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  11. Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says

    February 4, 2019 at 2:51 pm

    It’s so interesting to see your tricks for making these allergy free. Well done!

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 4, 2019 at 4:20 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  12. Annaliese says

    February 4, 2019 at 1:36 pm

    YUM!! I had a Twinkie baking kit when I was a kid- this recipe makes me wish I still had that pan!

    Reply
    • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      February 4, 2019 at 4:20 pm

      Haha, ah! Girl, then you’re already experienced, haha!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hey there, welcome to Strength and Sunshine! I’m Rebecca and I'm so glad you're here! This is your go-to destination for delicious, fun, and (mostly) healthy gluten-free and allergy-free recipes, tips & tricks, advice, as well as celiac and food allergy coaching services!


Never Miss A Post

7 Hidden Gems to Flavor Up Any Dish PDF

Search

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Gluten-Free Baked Mini Powdered Doughnuts (Sugar-Free, Paleo, Vegan, Allergy-Free) Copycat Hostess Donettes
  • Easy One-Pot Vegan Gluten-Free Louisiana Red Beans & Rice (Allergy-Free)
  • Homemade Copycat Gluten-Free Vegan Hostess Twinkies (Allergy-Free)
  • Pickled Beetroot Hummus (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Allergy-Free)
  • Gluten-Free Vegan Double Chocolate Chunk Brownie Cookies (Allergy-Free)

Trending Posts

  • Gluten-Free Baked Mini Powdered Doughnuts (Sugar-Free, Paleo, Vegan, Allergy-Free) Copycat Hostess Donettes
  • Homemade Spaghetti O's (Allergy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan)
  • What To Avoid With A Nightshade Allergy
  • How To Help Ease A "Glutened" Stomach
  • How-To Cook Beans In A Rice Cooker
  • What To Avoid With A Tree Nut Allergy

FIND ME ON FACEBOOK

FIND ME ON FACEBOOK

SEE WHAT I’M PINNING

Visit Rebecca Pytell @ Strength and Sunshine's profile on Pinterest.

BLOG COURTESY & DISCLOSURE

All layouts, content, & ideas on this blog are created solely for Strength and Sunshine©. I enjoy sharing information, creations, and recipes. However, I ask that you do not use my original content without permission or without noting its origins. All photos, by Strength and Sunshine©, must also be credited and linked to the original post.

Any comments which are deemed inappropriate ~ including general spam, offensive or rude language, self-promotional spam, or unrelated to the post will be deleted.

All Strength and Sunshine© original content is copyrighted and owned by Strength and Sunshine©.

Strength and Sunshine© contains advertising banners and some contextual affiliate links. An affiliate link means I receive commission on sales of the products that are linked to in my posts. If you click on a link and make a purchase from an affiliate site, then I may make a commission from that purchase. I only work with affiliates I genuinely love and fit my brand.

Meet Rebecca

Hey there, welcome to Strength and Sunshine! I’m Rebecca and I’m so glad you’re here! This is your go-to destination for delicious, fun, and (mostly) healthy gluten-free and allergy-free recipes, tips & tricks, advice, as well as celiac and food allergy coaching services!

Read More…

Most Popular Posts

Gluten-Free Baked Mini Powdered Doughnuts (Sugar-Free, Paleo, Vegan, Allergy-Free) Copycat Hostess Donettes
Homemade Spaghetti O's (Allergy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan)
What To Avoid With A Nightshade Allergy
How To Help Ease A "Glutened" Stomach
How-To Cook Beans In A Rice Cooker
What To Avoid With A Tree Nut Allergy

Never Miss A Post



Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2019 · Rebecca | Strength and Sunshine